Clooney, Shmooney: Part Deux

So this is how they’re handing out Academy Awards now? It’s an unabashed popularity contest? George Clooney could have won Best Supporting Actor for gaining weight and spitting up spinal fluid. That’s a time-honored Oscar category: the I-sacrificed-myself-for-my-art category. But he bagged it instead because this town wants to be him, earn his money, date his women, live his Lake Como palazzo life. And, yes, they gave it to him because of his politics. They see him as a “good guy” to rep the movie biz. Just one problem. He doesn’t sell movie tickets, he sells magazine covers. Keep this up, and the next Academy Award winner will be Branjolina. But Clooney didn’t have the guts to go for broke during his Oscar acceptance speech: “I’m proud to be part of this Academy. I’m proud to be part of this community. I’m proud to be ‘out of touch’.” Why didn’t you just say it, George? “I’m proud to be a liberal activist actor even when conservatives hate me for it?” This was your moment to speak out; instead, you copped out. Shame on you.